DEP Announces More Than 500,000 People Visited Water-On-the-Go Fountains in 2012

Drinking Fountains Served More Than Double the Number of 2011 Visitors;Water-On-the-Go Season Extended to Include Special Events, Including Fashion’s Night Out

New York City Environmental Protection Commissioner Carter Strickland today announced that more than 500,000 people visited Water-On-the-Go drinking fountains this summer, more than doubling the number of visitors from 2011. The Water-On-the-Go program, now in its third year, brings free portable water fountains to special events and outdoor locations throughout the five boroughs during the summer months. This year, DEP tripled the number of recurring Water-On-the-Go locations, rotating fountains among 30 different locations throughout the city daily. DEP also introduced a new, free iPhone/iPad mobile app to help New Yorkers access the daily Water-On-the-Go schedule. The 2012 Water-On-the-Go season was scheduled to end on Labor Day. Due to the program’s success, Water-On-the-Go fountains will be available for special events through mid-October, including three SoHo locations during Thursday’s Fashion’s Night Out.

“In 2012, Water-On-the-Go brought New York City’s refreshing and award-winning drinking water to more than half a million people, saving New Yorkers and visitors alike from extra costs—and pounds—with a free, healthy alternative to bottled water and sugary soft drinks,” said Commissioner Strickland. “As the summer draws to a close, it’s only fitting that the program receives an encore by extending to Fashion’s Night Out, as one great tradition joins another.”

During Thursday’s Fashion’s Night Out events, Water-On-the-Go fountains will be located at:

Prince Street between Greene and Mercer Streets

Greene Street between Prince and Spring Streets

Spring Street and West Broadway

In addition to serving more than half a million people, Water-On-the-Go stations provided water bowls for more than 3,000 dogs in 2012. NYC Water is internationally renowned for its quality. DEP performs more than 1,000 daily tests of the city’s drinking water taken from nearly 1,000 sampling locations throughout the city. This is in addition to the 225,000 tests performed annually throughout the watershed. NYC Water is a healthy alternative to sugar-sweetened beverages, containing zero calories, zero sugar, and zero fat. A typical 16-ounce bottle of soda contains about 180 calo­ries and 20 cubes of sugar. Sports drinks, marketed as healthy alternatives, have as many calories as sugary beverages and usually contain high levels of sodium. NYC Water is also affordable—at approximately one penny per gallon from the tap, it is approximately 1,000 times less expensive than bottled water. NYC Water also helps promote the efforts of PlaNYC, Mayor Bloomberg’s sustainability blueprint for the city; production of plastic water bottles for use in the United States uses 1.5 million barrels of oil a year—enough to power 250,000 homes or 100,000 cars for an entire year.

DEP manages the city’s water supply, providing more than one billion gallons of water each day to more than nine million residents, including eight million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,400 miles of sewer lines and 95 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP employs nearly 6,000 employees, including nearly 1,000 in the upstate watershed. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nycwater, or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nycwater.